CHAPTER 2-FUEL SUPPLY SUSTEM

CARBURATION plays an important role allowing a car engine to start easily, accelerate without
hesitation, cruise economically, give full power and be free from stalling in traffic.

Its job, briefly, is to mix the right amount of petrol with the right amount of air, so that the mixture
will burn in the cylinders and to deliver the correct amount of vaporized mixture to each cylinder, and to
deliver the correct amount of vaporized mixture to each cylinder.

The complete process of carburation extends from the time the petrol is mixed with air to the time
the mixture starts to burn in the cylinders. So the carburettors, inlet manifold, inlet valves and even the
combustion chambers and pistons are all involved in carburation.

Petrol for the carburettor is supplied by the fuel system which consists of a remotely mounted fuel
tank, a fuel pump to force petrol up to the float chamber and several filters to prevent the entry of dirt.
Air/Fuel ratio:

With most petrol, a mixture of about 15 parts of air-by weight to 1 part of petrol (called the
chemically correct ratio) will ensure complete combustion of the fuel.

But this mixture strength, or air/fuel ratio, does not produce maximum power; nor does it in general
give maximum economy. Starting in cold weather may require a mixture consisting of 1 part air to 1 part
petrol. But a much weaker mixture of, say, 16 parts of air to 1 part of petrol-is needed to give maximum
economy for cruising.

The mixture requirements, in general, are: rich for starting; less rich for slow running and idling;
weak for economical cruising; and richer again for acceleration and high speeds.

Substances formed when petrol and air are burnt together include carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide,
hydrocarbons and oxides of nitrogen. The proportion of these in the exhaust gases depends on the richness
of the mixture.

The mixture requirements in general are:

a. Starting in cold weather - > 1:1

b. Less rich – slow running and idling - > 1:7

c. Weak – economically cruizing - > 1:16 (Max effeciency)

The Principle of carburation:

Air is drawn into the combustion chambers of an engine because of the partial vacuum created when
the pistons move down the cylinders on the induction stroke. The air passes through the carburettor, and the
amount drawn in is controlled by a pivoted flap, called the throttle valve, which is opened and closed by the
accelerator.

The quantity of air drawn in depends on the engine speed as well as on the position of the throttle
valve. It is the function of the carburettor to ensure that the correct amount of petrol is drawn into the air
stream, so that the right mixture will be delivered to the combustion chambers.

Petrol, piped from a reservoir in the carburettor, joins the airstream in the narrow-throated passage
known as the venture, or choke. This works on the principle that as the speed of an airstream increases, its
pressure drops. When air flows through the narrow part of the venture, its speed increases, and it is in the
region of low air pressure that petrol is sucked into the airstream from a jet.
 The air flow will be at a maximum when the engine is running at full speed, with the throttle valve
wide open; and the greater the air velocity through the venture the greater the flow of petrol from the pipe.

In practice, a carburettor as simple as this would not be satisfactory, because petrol and air do not
have the same flow characteristics. As air flows faster, it becomes less dense, but petrol remains at the same
density whatever its rate of flow. Since air and petrol must be mixed by weight (roughly in the proportion of
15:1 for efficient combustion, the mixture would become progressively richer as the air flow increased and
its density dropped. Eventually, the mixture would become too rich to burn in the cylinders.

It will now be realised that when the engine is running, the air and petrol orifices, namely, the choke
(venture) and jet, will be subjected to the same depression, or lowering of pressure below that of the
atmosphere, if the relative areas are suitably chosen, having regard to the density of the two fluide, air and
petrol will flow in to the choke in suitable fixed proportions.

The density of average petrol is about 753 kg mt3, while that of air at N.T.P. is about 1.28 kg/mt3.
Thus the ratio of the densities of petrol to air is 587:1 . The ratio by weight of air to petrol in a chamically
correct comustible mixture is about 15:1 Hence, it follows that for a given suction or depression acting on
both air and petrol orifices, the relative areas should be

If air and petrol were ideally perfect fluids, and if friction etc., could be eliminated , this simple
carburettor would give a constant ratio of air and petrol liquid by weight and would fulfil the first function
off a carburetor quite satisfactorily.

There are two ways of overcoming this problem. In a fixed-jet carburettor some air is mixed with the
petrol before it leaves the jet, through an arrangement of emulsion tubes or correction jets. In a variable-jet
carburettor the amount of petrol leaving the jet and the size of the venturi throat are varied to maintain the
correct proportions of petrol and air.

Petrol in the reservoir, or float chamber, is maintained at a constant level by means of a float-
operated valve. The end of the petrol pipe in the venture has to be above the petrol level in the float
chamber to prevent fuel spilling out if the car is tilted – on a hill or steeply cambered road, for instance. This
means that before the petrol can mix with the airstream it has to be lifted a small distance – in practice, about
¼ in. The suction produced by the partial vacuum is sufficient to lift the petrol to the top of the jet and to
draw it into the venture in the form of droplets.

As well as drawing in petrol and air, the carburation system must vaporize the petrol, mix it
thoroughly with the air and then distribute the mixture uniformly to the cylinders, Petrol is already in the
form of droplets when it enters a the venture; with a fixed jet it has been emulsified by premixing with air;
with a variable jet the droplets have been broken up by the speed of the airstream.
 When the spray of petrol and air passes the throttle valve, it enters an area of partial vacuum created
by the piston suction, so that the petrol droplets start to evaporate. The rate of evaporation depends on the
degree of vacuum in the inlet manifold, and this is governed be the engine speed and the position of the
throttle valve.

At high speed, when the throttle is fully open, the vacuum can be so low that most of the petrol is
still in liquid form and is carried along in the air, or flows along the walls of the manifold. At cruising speed,
when the throttle is partially closed, the vacuum increases and most of the petrol will then be in vapour
form.

In engines with one carburettor to each cylinder, the fact that the mixture is part liquid is of little
consequence; it will still reach the combustion chamber, where it will be vaporized by heat. But when one
carburettor supplies number of cylinders, even distribution is of primary importance; and this is difficult to
achieve if the mixture is ‘wet’.

The addition of heat to the inlet manifold by means of an exhaust-heated or water-heated ‘hot spot’
promotes further vaporization of the petrol and so ensures an even distribution of mixture.

Except in a cold engine, this vaporization is completed when the mixture enters the cylinders and
comes into contact with the hot exhaust valve and the cylinder walls, and with any exhaust gas remaining
from the previous combustion cycle.

CLASSIFICATION:

According to the direction in which the carburetor intake is located, carburetors are reffered as:

A) WITH REGARD TO DRAUGHTING SYSTEM.

1)Down draught (4 wheeles)

2) Vertical or up draught
3) Side draught
4) Semi-down draught.
1. Down Draught : In which fuel air mixture goes downwards towards the induction monifold. It is
fitted above the induction manifold. The gravity assist in it for the fuel flow.

2. Up Draught : In which fuel air mixture flows upwards towards the induction manifold. It is fitted
below the induction manifold. Liquid fuel can not enter in to the engine if it overflows.

3. Side Draught : In which the mixture flows horizontally towards the manifold it is fitted by the side
of the induction manifold.

4. Semi-Down Draught : It is combination of down draught and side draught carburetors.

 B) WITH REGARD TO THE WORKING CONSTRUCTION.

1) Constant choke carburettor (Fixed jet carburettor)

2) Constant vaccum carburettor (veriable jet carburettor)
CONSTANT CHOKE CARBURETOR :

In which the jet orifice area is constant and the pressure difference is varied by means of venturies.

Eg: CARTER CARBURATTOR, SOLEX, ZENTH

Constant choke or fixed jet carburettor incorporates various jets and an accelerator pump to alter the
mixture strenght according to the engine needs.
As the air stream through a carburators
venturi speeds up, the air becomes thinner and
without some compensating device the mixture
would become progressily richer until wit was
too rich to burn.
The fixed jet carburetor solves this
problem by air correction, mixing some air with
petrol before the petrol is drawn in to the
venture, on most carburetors, air correction is by
means of a perforated tube which emulsifies
(atomise) the mixture. The main jet supplies
petrol to a spraying well which contains he
engine speed rises and the petrol level in the
well falls, an increase in amount of air is drawn
through the series of holes in the tube,
automatically weakening the mixture.
An alternative method for air-correction is to put – in a compensating jet in addition to the main jet.
As the fuel level drops in a well along the side of the float chamber, air is drawn in to the compensating jet
so that a mixture of air and petrol instead of petrol alone, reaches the main discharge point. The weakness of
the mixture from the compensating jet cancells out the increasing richness of the mixture supplied by the
main jet. The size of the main jet is usually designed to give relatively weak mixture necessary for good
economy. To give the richer mixture needed for all full throltle the fixed jet carburettor has an additional jet
feeding the main discharge well. This suppliments the main jet which can be kept small for economy.
 CAREBURATOR CIRCUITS :
1. Float circuit
2. Idle circuit
3. Low – speed circuit
4. High – Speed circuit
5. Pump circuit
6. Choke circuit.

FLOAT CIRCUIT :
For regular atomisation of fuel it is necessary that the
level of the fuel in the jet is always maintained at the
same level. This is acomplished by means of float circuit.
This circuit regulates the flow of fuel in the float chamber
automatically through the float operated needle valve.
The needle valve is located in the entrance of the float
chamber. It is opened and closed through the float when it
moves up and down due fall and rise of the fuel level in
the float chamber. The float level should be set accurately because if the fuel level is too low, engine
efficiency can be affected due to insufficient fuel supply to the jets. If the fuel level is too hig, too much fuel
shall reach the jets resulting in overflow. The over flowing of the fuel continues even when the engine is not
running. Overflow of the fuel leads to excessive fuel consumption, starting and operating trouble, carbon
formation in the combustion chamer, crank case oil dilution due to flow of liquid fuel pass the piston in to
the crank case and above all wastage of fuel and fall in engine efficiency.
The float chamber contains contains a vent to admit outside atmospheric pressure. In some carburattor
the vent opens ain to the air horn on which air cleaner is installed. The air has to pass through the air
cleaner before it enters the float chamber. This results in equalised pressure on the fuel in float chamber the
float chamber. This results in equalised pressure on the fuel in float chamber and on the flow of air through
carburator air horn. This is known as “balancing”. Carburattors. In balanced carburattor restrictions due to
accumulation of dirt in the air cleaner do not affect the air fuel ratio.

IDLE CIRCUIT:
Fuel flows from the float chamer towards the mixing chamber through the idle circuit, when the
throttle valve is fully closed.
During the closed throttle valve the engine suction
acts at the tiny hole known as idling port, provided in the
mixing chamber wall below the throttle disc. Discharge of
fulel air mixture is at this hole . this idle passage is shown in
the air horn diagram.
Air from the air-horn enters in to the idle passage
through a hole and by pass provided in the upper part of the
mixing chamber. The air sweeps over the slow run ning jet.
Contained in the passage contains the same level of fuel as in
the float chamber. The fuel particles are sweep in to the idel
passage by the ignoring air. The air entering through the by
pass helps in pushing down the havier fuel particles. The
discharge of fuel, air particles is at idele port from where they travel in to the engine.
The idle port hole contains a conical seat for the spring loaded idel mixture adjusting screw; By
turning the screw clockwise, the amount of fuel discharge from the idle port is decreased, while turning the
screw in anticlockwise direction, the discharge rate is increased. The idle circuit supplies fuel air mixture to
the engine during its idle speed when throttle valve is closed.In the absense of the idle circuit the engine
would stop with the closing of the throttle valve.
LOW-SPEED CIRCUIT :
During the low engine speed or slow running of the engine the throttle valve is partly opened, and air
from the air-horn passes down by the sides of the throtle disc. The throttle is operated by means of
accelerator pedal or by accelarator cable. Opeing the throttle valve by pressing the accelerator pedal acts to
the air-flow through the air –correction jet and increased partical vaccum at the venturi causes the
“emulsified” (atomised) petrol-air mixture to rise in th e well and discharge in to the main air stream,
passing through the venturi-simultaneously, the partial vaccum at the idle discharge decreases and the flow
of fuel at this point stops.
The exact flow is as follows:
From the float bowl (float chamber) the fuel flows through the main metering jet to a passage that
supplied both idling and main metering system. There it risesf in to the low low speed jet which carefully
meters (measures) the supply of fuel . It then continues to flow through the idel passage where it is mixed
with a stream of air whichs is coming throuh the by0pass. The combining of the stream of air with the
stream of fel is tends to atomise or break-up the fuel in to vapour.The mixture of fuel and air continues on
through the economised untill it begins to pass the point where it is further combined with a stream of air
coming in through the lower air-bleed (a second small hole leading in to the bore). This air again tends to
break the fuel particles in to finer vapour. The fuel and air mixture that flows downward in the passage from
the lower air-bleed is still richer than idle mixture and when it mixes with air which has come past the
throttle valve, it forms a combustible mixture of the right proportion for the low speed.
Fuel flows from the float chamber, through a metering jet and out the main nozzle (dischatge jet) in
to the carburetor throat.
As the throttle is opened wide enough for a speed of little more than 35 km/hr, the velocity of air
flowing down through, the carburetor throat creates a pressure slightly less than atmospheric at the tip of the
discharge nozzle. Since the fuel in the float chamber is acted upon by atmospheric pressure the difference in
pressure between the two points causes the fuel to flow from the chamber, through the metering jet and out
of the discharge nozzle in to the throat of the carburettor.

HIGH SPEED CIRCUIT

ACCELERATION PUMP CIRCUIT :
To give the additional fuel needed for acclearation
and sudden throttle opening, an accelerator pump is provided.
During low speed cruising operation of the engine,
the manifold vaccum is high and the air is flow is relatively
low and hence , the manifold relatively warm. The high
caccum and warm manifold allows good vaporisation so that
manifold passages are dry.
However, when the throttle opened, due to the inertia
effects which are greater for fuel than that of air, there is a lag
in supplying the additional fuel required for acceleration, Not
only that, the first liquid fuel delivered, now, tends to wet or deposit on the manifold walls. The result is a
misting due to the momentary leaning of mixture and the engine hesitates before accelerating.
This requires an acceleration pump to provide additional fuel to the air to compensate for the lean
mixture. The fig. shows such a device. This consists of a well, filled with fuel and fitted with a spring
loaded plunger or diaphram, linked to the throttle. When the throttle is opened, the fuel in the well is
discharged by the plunger through a separate passage in to the venturi. The accelerate pump only operates
during a part of the throttle opening, the pump piston and rod are spring loaded, thus allowing full throttle
opening after the pump operating stroke is completed. During very gradual throttle opening, no fuel is
discharged as it leaks back in to the float chamber past the piston anf valves.
On some carburettors the plunger stroke can be adjusted to provide increased fuel delivery for winter
conditions, or less for summer motoring.

CHOKE CIRCUIT :
A rich mixture with an air/fuel ratio of between
1:1 and 3:1 is needed to start the engine in cold weather
. This is provided by closing a choke valve or strangler,
operated automatically or by a cable and lever which is
operated through a knob placed at the dash board.
Because the carburetion system is cold, and the
air speed through the venturi is low, due to the slow
cranking speed of the engine only part of the petrol
will be able to vaporise.
When the knob connected to the choke cable is
pulled, choke valve is closed which restricts the air
passage and greater pressure difference is caused between inside and outside the carburttor. Greater pressure
difference causes greater vaccum inside the mixing chamber due to which more fuel flows out of the main
nozzle resulting in rich mixture. When the choke knob is pushed down, the choke valve is opened. If the
driver forgets to push back choke knob, the carburettor will continue to supply a very rich mixture to the
engine. The excessive rich mixture will cause poor engine performance and lead to carbon deposit inside the
comustion chamber.

VARIBLE – JET OR CONSTANT-DERRESSION OR CONSTANT VACCUM :-

The constant-vaccum carburettor, like the fixedjet type has a constant level of fuel supply, a throttle
valve and a venturi. The main difference is that the size of the venturi throat can be varied to maintain on
almost constant partial vaccum at the fuel discharge a jet.
A sliding piston controls the area of the venturi throat, and the position of the piston is determined by
the degree of throttle opening. If the throttle is almost closed, as when the engine is idling, the flow of air
through the venturi drops. The weight of the piston and its spring causes the piston to fall, leaving only a
small gap for the passage of air.
When the throttle is opened by depressing the accelerator pedal, the passage of air through the
venturi increases the partial vaccum above the piston . This cause the piston to rise, and further
increases the flow of air in to the engine.
The flow of fuel is controlled by a tapered needle attached to the piston and passing in to the fuel jet.
As the piston rises, the needle rises too, allowing more petrol to be drawn trom the jet. The position of the
jet and shape of the needle ensure the correct proportion of petrol and air.
Since the air-pressure in the venturi remains reasonably constant at any given engine speed, there is
no need to provide a separate fuel circuit for idling , as in the fixed – jet carburettor. The fuel is fed in to the
air-stream at the point of max vel, ensuring efficient atomisation of the fuel.
The idling – mixture strength can be altered by an adjusting nut, which controls the jet position, and
the idling speed is controlled by a throttle-stop screw.
FUEL PUMPS :
Many types of fuel pumps are used in modern car fuel-feed systems, all of which operate on the
same priniciple. The fuel pump is bolted to the engine crank case or block so that the rocker arm rides on a
special pump-operating cam on the engine camshaft or infront of the timing gear or timing-chain sprocket.
Mechanical fuel pump consists of a chamber devided by a diagphragm. The top portion contains a
filter/strainer and a sediment bowl, and has two spring-loaded valves to control the flow of petrol.
The lower portion contains a diaphragm and spring which regulates the pressure of the petrol supply
and an operating link and rocker arm driven from the camshaft.
As the cam turns, it causes the rocker arm to move back and forth (rock) about a fixed pin. This
motion is transmitted to the rocker-arm link (operating link) through the rockier – arm break jont to pull the
link up when the rocker arm is on the high point (nose) of the cam. The joint is specially designed to enable
the link to remain in the upper portion if it need be, as the rocker aim moves to the lower end (flank) of the
cam.
The upward motion of the link causes the pull-rod to pull the diaphragm, which is held between
metal discs, upward against the pressure of the diaphragm spring. This action creates a partial vaccum in the
pump chamber which is connected to the bowl through a passage and inlet valve. Since the fuel in the tank
is maintained at atmospheric pressure by the vent, the difference in pressure between the tank and the pump
bowl causes the fuel to flow from the tank through the pipe in to the bowl until it reaches the top (several
strokes are necessary to fill the bowl). Continued suction action enables the fuel to pass through the screen,
through the valve into the pump chamber.
 The downward movement of the diaphragm is produced by the diaphragm spring which was
compressed during the upstroke. This downward pressure is independent of the pull-rod and link can only
be pulled up by the rocker arm due to the construction of the rocker-arm break point.
The diaphragm-spring is suggicient to close the inlet valve, open the outlet valve, and force fuel
through the outlet to the carburetor. The pulsator diaphragm serves to dampen the effect of fuel pump
pressure pulsations on the carburetor fuel inlet needle valve.
When the carburetor
float chamber is filled to the
correct level, the carburetor inlet
valve closes to cause an increase
in pressure in the line leading to
to pump. Thes back pressure
transmitted to the pump
diaphragm causes it to remain in
the upper position against the
pressure of the diaphragm
spring. This action also raises
the pull-rod and link so that they
are disconnected from the roctier
arm. The diaphragm is held in
the upper position untill the fuel
level in the float chamber fall
sufficiently to open the
carburettor needle valve, thus
relieving the pressure in the
pump chamber. In this manner
the supply of fuel to the
carburetor is regulated in
accordance with its needs.